SIM Card

The biggest providers in Italy are Vodaphone and TIM. They generally have tourist SIMs that are what you are looking for because they know their market.

ESIMs work well but many don't provide calls only data. I've had good luck with Airalo - worked in Italy and then bought short term eSIMs for both Belgium and England when we visited there. You set up your esim but they don't activate until you can connect to the provider network - meaning when you land in Italy. They take a few minutes to connect and get everything sorted out but was faster and easier then finding and actual SIM store and going through that process. Get the phone app and you can purchase and top up through it. They have good instructions and walk throughs for how to make it work.

Some airports have good non-phone company stores bundle unneeded services to overcharge for the same tourist SIM you can buy in town from the actual provider. Check reviews for the airport you're landing in to see if there is a good provider. Large city train stations are generally good for finding cell providers - I believe Milan has every major vendor in it. Be aware you are supposed to need your passport for SIM purchase and generally do depending on the store.

Keep in mind you can use WiFi with your device without a SIM or eSIM until you get one. There are many threads about this if you search the forum.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

Thanks Tod for your answer! We will be flying in on Venice. If you have experience there with buying SIM cards, we're listening!

Recommend you purchase one eSIM for wife’s phone ahead of time and then purchase one SIM for your phone when you arrive Venice. This way you will have one phone available for use upon landing. When I was on a tour in 2022 purchased my SIM in Venice which was less expensive, than at the airport. Use Google Maps to locate nearest store

If going with a data only eSIM/SIM install WhatsApp for both phones to stay in contact

There are 4 different mobile internet providers in Italy:
Vodafone
Windtre (former Wind &3)
Tim
iliad

Travel blogger links below has info on Venice SIM and eSIM purchases

https://www.traveltomtom.net/destinations/europe/italy/best-prepaid-italy-sim-card

https://www.traveltomtom.net/destinations/europe/italy/best-esim-cards-for-italy

I don't think I've ever flown into Venice - only out of there. It doesn't look like there are any good sources at the airport or train station.
I would search Vodaphone and TIM locations in Venice and just go to one. I know there is a TIM near one side of the Rialto bridge and a Vodaphone on the other.

There are others but these are near a huge landmark so they are easy to find. But obviously check and see if there is one closer to your lodging unless you're headed to see the bridge anyway.

Venice is magical, have a great trip,
=Tod

I would use an eSIM only. And get family and friends on WhatsApp. The only downside is two factor authentication which goes to your primary. Luckily, I have multiple credit cards and my Mastercard apparently doesn’t care about such trivialities.

For a data only eSIM, I used Airalo last year and now I am using BNEsim, recommended by Spanish friends.

BNEsim allows for no-expiring data because I will return to Europe. Better price than Airalo.

Never had issues with either finding a network.

I agree that an Esim, if your phone supports it, and is unlocked, is the best, least expensive option. Surely much cheaper than the high-priced Verizon options.

And, as mentioned, a non-expiring plan is great for folks who travel multiple times to multiple countries. I'd suggest Roamless. They cover almost 200 countries, the data is about $2.45/Gigabyte in most countries, and it's a true Paygo system. That means you pay $10 or $20 into your "wallet", and the money is deducted as the data is used. There is no expriration, and it doesn't matter which country you are in. It also works in the USA, so I have it in a backup phone I keep in my vehicle. It's data only, no phone number supplied, though.

Your phone doesn’t have e-sim compatibility, neither does mine.
I am in Italy most years and have used Vodafone and Tim…both with no problems, except in Sicily, but you aren’t going there.
(If you are, use Vodafone…TIM didn’t work well for me there and I ended up trading it for Vodafone)
Look up the location of shops for both on Google maps, and buy the card in a shop, not at the airport.
If you have trouble with it, you don’t want to go all the way back to the airport to get it fixed.
There’s a TIM shop in Canareggio along the main “street” everyone walks through Venice on.
They will set it up for you, and they are usually activated within about 30 minutes.
The cost is about E 30 for a month’s use, with more data than you can ever use !
Very easy, I’ve been doing it on every trip for years..

I feel your pain on the eSIM. Last year I did so much research on this, and I had info adnauseum (sp) in my journal on how to use Airalo. Keep in mind I’m in my 70’s and definitely not tech savvy. However, I did finally figure it out with help from others on the Forum. I had What’s App and bought data in Airalo for 9 countries as a bundle package because I was visiting a number of countries, and it was very reasonable, and if you start to run out of data, you just add more. It basically worked everywhere. I had an older phone, so I had to have AT&T set my phone up for eSIM. Two of the main things I remember, was as soon as I landed in Europe I turned off my AT&T sim and turned on my Airalo sim, also keep in airplane mode when you aren’t using your phone so you don’t waste data. I did make a bunch of typed notes on how to use if you want to PM me I could send them to you.

Thank you all for your answers! I'll definitely consider the eSIM. I have no worries regarding using it. In fact, I might even upgrade my phone just to be able to use one since it seems so convenient. Then again, my phone is kinda busted anyway so it could be a could reason to change it as well!